Divorce-Can the cooling-off period help in decreasing the divorce rates in th world!

There is a rising divorce rate in the world over the past many years. This has risen more with the coronavirus pandemic because couples are finding it difficult to adjust when the two partners stay continuously under one roof. Even the famous celebrity, Kim Kardashian had difficulties with her husband Kanye West. She has the luxury of multiple houses and a couple can shift out into one of them to avoid a divorce. But things become difficult for the general public that owns only one home. But whenever the thought of divorce comes to the mind, it is best to give it a second thought. Besides, things decided during the heat of happenings are not always right. Hence, the couple should rethink on it with a cooler mind and they might see that it is not actually a good idea to divorce. There is so much at stake in the process including finances, children, assets and the like. 

World and the divorces

Worldwide, divorces are on the rise. Increasingly, elderly people are going in for this separation late in life. It is called Gray or silver divorce and there could be some more issues in this type of ripe old-age breakups. Last year, 4.7 million Chinese couples took this leap out of their nuptial ties. 

Divorce [Source: CGTN]

This year, the figures would be higher due to the coronavirus pandemic. Hence Chinese Courts have made it mandatory that there should be a 30-day cooling period or a gap before the couple finally gets the divorce papers or decree in hand. For some, it might seem a little time but for others, they might get upset and want a quick and fast divorce. This waiting period they may feel is a waste of time. 

Divorce and remarriages

But time and again, it has been seen that many couples repent after the divorce and feel that they should not have gone ahead with it in the first place. They feel that they should have waited and they also begin to miss the other partner. But then it is too late. Their divorce had already been made legal. For instance, Cecilia Zhang from China divorced last year and after a phase of repentance, she and her ex-husband reconciled and remarried. She said: 

“We got divorced over what started as a real silly argument about how to spend a weekend. You know how those fights go . . . The issue quickly descended into who should respect the wishes of whom, and who makes the most sacrifices in a marriage. Before we knew it, we were at the marriage center seeking a divorce.”

Divorce and possible remarriages to same person [Source: China Daily]

She continued: 

“Later, he told me he regretted the decision to split when we were at the center. I regretted it, too, at the time, but neither of us broke our pride to admit it. It all sounds so ridiculous now. It might have been different if someone had told us, ‘No, you can’t get divorced now. You have to go home to think about it for 30 days.’”

Divorce and the cooling period

When the law was enacted on the divorce cooling period in May 2020, it was the most searched word on search engines. New details on it were released last week. It has now become a debatable topic since citizens wonder whether this 30-day gap would really help in any way in the divorce process and decision. 

Divorce and a cooling-off period of 30 days in China [Source: China Plus]

Many feel that divorces are emotionally charged and hence it would only be more painful and time-consuming for the divorcing couple and their families. It might also cause a rise in domestic violence, experts feel. But others feel that since it is an emotionally charged process, there should be time to rethink and the one-month gap might help in it. 

In China, the marriage rate is falling and the divorce rate is slowly rising. This was witnessed in nearly all the cities of the nation. Zhu Qinhao is the director at the Shanghai Civil Affairs Bureau. He justified the new rule and said that it was meant for promoting the harmony and stability of the institution and family virtues and social morality. 

The cooling-off period-More on it

The cooling-off period of a month will apply to only uncontested divorces in civil bureaus. Those divorces that have reached the courts will not have it. Though less costly and easier in civil bureaus, here too there can be problems when one of the spouses tends to drag the process deliberately. 

Divorce and waiting time of 30 days [Source: Global Times]

Also, read on children and divorce-their feelings at different age groups 

Divorces were a social taboo in the past but now the society is accepting it and hence this also causes a rise in the cases, feel some of the lawyers who have been in practice in China for the past three decades or more.